VOI World/ Desk
A retired Bombay High Court judge has alleged that threats against his family and an attack on his daughter in the United Kingdom are linked to a long-running legal dispute involving the leadership succession of the Dawoodi Bohra community.
Justice Gautam Patel, speaking from London, said his family has received multiple anonymous threat letters over the past several months. According to him, the threats intensified following a judgment he delivered in 2024 in a case connected to the succession and leadership of the Dawoodi Bohra community. The matter remains under appeal.
The controversy gained fresh attention after Patel’s daughter, a British citizen, was reportedly assaulted near her home in London while carrying out routine activities. According to Patel, a masked individual attacked her from behind, leaving her with facial injuries, including a fractured nose.
The retired judge claimed that one of the anonymous letters accused him of delivering an incorrect and fraudulent judgment and demanded that he publicly retract his decision through a video statement. Patel described the threats as an attempt to pressure him despite his retirement from the judiciary.
He further argued that while no direct attack had been carried out against him in India, targeting a family member in the UK appeared intended to exploit jurisdictional challenges and create pressure linked to the ongoing legal dispute.
Representatives associated with both sides of the succession matter condemned the reported threats and violence. Statements issued by community representatives described the allegations as disturbing and called for a proper investigation into the incident.
The dispute centres on the leadership succession of the Dawoodi Bohra community, one of the most closely watched religious succession cases in India. In April 2024, the Bombay High Court dismissed a challenge to the succession of the current spiritual leader, a ruling that remains subject to appeal.
Authorities in the UK are expected to investigate the reported assault, while the allegations have triggered concern within legal and community circles.
